


Waterworks at the Wedding

by misura



Category: Soul Eater
Genre: Canon - Anime, Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-19 19:32:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18976945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: In which Spirit is about to get married and a great many tears are shed.





	Waterworks at the Wedding

_"This woman - this marvel of marvels, this beauty of beauties,"_ Spirit had said, what felt like not all that long ago, but viewed objectively turned out to be four months, six days and three hours, give or take a few minutes ago. _"She has stolen my heart!"_

And Stein had wanted to point out how unlikely it was that anyone would be able to get into his lab without his noticing, let alone come back out again, alive, even, but then he'd remembered that Spirit did not, in fact, know that Stein had helped himself to several of his organs - after replacing them with superior models, it went without saying.

So instead of something, he'd said nothing, and now here they were.

A nice enough wedding, really, Stein supposed, if you liked that sort of thing.

 

"I love weddings!" Marie said - or gushed, rather.

Azusa's glasses flashed. "It does seem to be rather well-organized."

"So romantic!"

Stein adjusted the screw in his head. "If that's how you feel, why not get married yourself?"

Azusa glared at him.

 

"Why is Marie crying?" Spirit asked. His tie was crooked and his hands kept moving, trying to fix things that didn't need fixing, to smooth things that were smooth already.

Stein wanted to strap him to a table and watch him be quiet, peaceful. Alas, the bride would likely neither appreciate nor approve of such an act. Such were the joys of matrimony.

"It was something I said, I'm sure," he said. He wondered if he should feel jealous. Sad, perhaps?

"Well, yeah," Spirit said. "I mean, duh."

"She'll cheer up again soon enough," Stein said. Marie resembled Spirit a bit that way: they got mad, instead of getting even (or getting in a few hours of fun and guts in the name of science).

"That doesn't make it okay." Spirit's hands fluttered up again, pulling at his tie. "How do I look? Be honest."

"Like you're a nervous wreck three seconds away from a total meltdown."

Spirit glowered. "Not _that_ honest."

Stein put a hand on his shoulder. It was near-impossible to sense the stitches, the scars underneath the suit, but he knew they were there. They would always be there. He and Spirit might never see one another again, but part of Stein would stay with Spirit wherever he went - and of course the parts of Spirit that were safely stored in jars in the lab would remain with Stein.

Spirit sighed. "I must be looking really bad if you feel you need to comfort me. Thanks."

"You're welcome. Any time." Stein tightened his grip a fraction, considering. Perhaps a quick dash to an abandoned bathroom - or better yet, the basement? Nothing too elaborate. Five minutes, tops. Spirit would feel much better with a bit of anaesthetic in him. At least, he'd be calmer.

The moment passed, and with it, both the temptation and the opportunity.

 

"Is Spirit crying?" Marie asked.

"Yes. I would assume it was something Stein said." Azusa's glasses glinted.

"Oh, probably." Marie sighed. "He's so lucky! If the day ever comes when it will be me, walking down the aisle in the most gorgeous dress ever, I'm sure that I will cry, too!"

"It seems highly unlikely Spirit would be wearing a dress," Azusa said. "Almost as unlikely, in fact, as you getting married at any point in the foreseeable future."

 

" _Again_?"

"This time, I'm sure it wasn't my fault," Stein said. His shirt was soaked. He imagined that if he wanted to leave, claiming he needed to change his clothes would be considered an acceptable reason.

Naturally, he would not be coming back.

"I feel a bit better now," Spirit said. "You know, you're a good friend."

"I'm a better scientist," Stein said.

Spirit rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure, whatever. Can't you just take a compliment? Sheesh."

"I'm glad you feel better," Stein said.

Spirit grinned and gave him a thumbs up. "Hadn't you heard? I'm getting married to the most beautiful, most wonderful, most fantastic woman in the whole wide world. What do I have to feel bad about? I feel great! I'm the luckiest man alive! I'm - "

"Late," Stein said. "Assuming that clock over there is accurate." It wasn't.

Spirit blanched.

"You should probably get going," Stein said, by way of a hint. Once Spirit left, he'd be able to go - home or to the lab or anywhere he wanted. It was unlikely anyone would miss him at the reception, and if they did, well, they would get over it.

Spirit ran. Being Spirit, he tripped over a speck of dust and hit the floor face first.

"I'm fine! No! I don't need help! Some things, a man has to do by himself! A great reward requires great sacrifice, and the overcoming of great obstacles. I'm coming, sweetheart! Wait for me!"

"Are you sure you're all right? You're bleeding."

"Fine! I'm fine!" Spirit said, getting blood all over Stein's shirt. "Just give me a hand, will you? You're my partner, so that's all right. Partners help each other out, don't they? Oh, I think I'm going to be sick. I'm not ready! I'm going to say something stupid!"

The word 'yes' came to mind, but Stein decided verbal reassurances were uncalled for in this specific moment. He'd shown up, and stayed, and let Spirit ruin his shirt. Surely no one could expect more.

Spirit moaned. "See? You think I'm going to mess this up, too. I'm a failure!"

"Yes, but that shouldn't stop you from getting married, so I don't see how it's relevant," Stein said. "And anyway," he added, feeling the occasion called for some empty reassurances, "I'm sure the two of you will be very happy together."

Spirit perked up. "Really?"

"Of course," Stein said, swallowing the 'not' without so much as a twinge of his conscience.


End file.
